The Canadian Men’s National Field Hockey Program confirmed its 2015 Men’s National Team (MNT) and Senior Development Squad (SDS) rosters on Monday.
Victoria’s James Kilptarick joins the team of twenty-two athletes who are considered ready for International competition and who will help guide Canada through various competitions in 2015 and the pursuit of 2016 Olympic qualification.
The National Team is led by twenty-seven year-old veteran Scott Tupper (Vancouver, B.C.) who returns as team captain. At twenty years-old, Sukhi Panesar (Surrey, BC) is the youngest on the roster.
Sixteen athletes have been named to the Senior Development Squad, which is reserved for players who are considered close to breaking through to the MNT.
The men are entering a year of competition during which qualification for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio, Brazil is up for grabs through two qualification pathways. The first being the World League tournament, the second being the Pan American Games, which Canada hosts in Toronto in the summer of 2015.
In preparation for these two tournaments, the MNT will take part in many test tournaments throughout the year, for which – as will be done for World League and the Pan Am Games – specific touring rosters will be named.